In recent years, hang gliding has become an extremely popular sport serving the age old fascination and thrill of flight without the expense of powered flight. Modern hang gliders are light weight and capable of being folded up, much like a tent, for convenient transport. Any reasonably open terrain rising to a prominence facing a prevailing wind is suitable for foot launched flight. Under favorable conditions, flights of several hours duration can be achieved.
The most popular hang glider is the flexible delta wing design named after Francis Rogallo, who developed this design in connection with NASA's rocket re-entry program. The Rogallo wing consists of a single surface sail affixed to a frame comprised basically of keel, a pair of diverging leading edge members, and a cross member, much in the manner of a traditional kite design. Suspended from this frame is a control bar and a harness in which the flyer is strapped. Flight maneuvers are effected by grasping the control bar and executing body movements designed to shift the pilot's weight. Standard Rogallo wings have a typical glide ratio of 4 to 1.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hang glider of the Rogallo wing type.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hang glider of the above character having improved performance under all flight conditions.
A further object is to provide a hang glider of the above character having a double surfaced airfoil for improved leftover drag ratio.
Yet another object is to provide a hang glider of the above character wherein the camber of the airfoil automatically adjusts to variations in angle of attack so as to provide optimum performance at all flight speeds.
Still another object is to provide a hang glider of the above character which is simple in design, light weight, highly portable, easy to set up and to fly, and dynamically stable.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.